Raiders of the Lost Ark

Two weeks ago we visited Aksum, home of the legendary Ark of the Covenant. Once a great trading metropolis, it has turned into a dusty city with ancient relics scattered among rubble. Aksum is in the northern province of Tigray, bordering Eritrea. The city was the heart of the Aksumite Kingdom, which at its height controlled territories are far as southern Egypt, east to the Gulf of Aden, south to the Omo River, and west to the Cushite Kingdom of Meroë. Ruins date between the 1st and 13th centuries (UNESCO). Our tour guide Girma told us that only 10% of the ruins have been excavated.

Long after its decline, Aksum has remained a significant religious, political, and cultural center. The Aksumite dynasty adopted Christianity in the 4th century. In fact, Ethiopia is the second country after Armenia to adopt Christianity as its state religion. Today Ethiopian Orthodox Christians come to Aksum to celebrate important holidays and to pray at St. Mary of Zion. They believe the sacred Ark of the Covenant is housed there. Since the Aksumite rulers, Ethiopian emperors have continued to hold their coronation ceremonies in Aksum. The museum at St. Mary of Zion has an impressive collection of crowns and gowns worn by various emperors.

The Countryside of Aksum

The City of Aksum

 

Northern Stelae Field

In Ethiopia the stelae were used as tombstones and monuments to local rulers. Each was sculpted from a single piece of granite from the nearby quarries. The granite was brought to the field where the stelae were then carved and erected. The Northern Stelae Field in Aksum is the largest and most important stelae field in Ethiopia. There are 120 stelae ranging from 1 meter to 33 meters in height.

The Great Stele
It is 33m and believed to be the largest single block of stone humans have
ever attempted to erect. It fell while being erected and has remained in this
position for 1600 years.

The Rome Stele
It is 24.6 meters. It collapsed between 10th and 16th centuries.
In 1937Mussolini ordered the remains to be shipped to Italy where
it was reassembled and raised in the Piazza di Porta Capena.
The stele was finally returned to Ethiopia in 2005.

King Ezana's Stele
The 24 meter stele has remained standing since it was created.
Although now it supported by a crane.

Masoleum

Tomb of the False Door
It is also known as the Tomb of King Ramhai and was built between the
4th and 5th centuries.

Original iron clamp

Stone sarcophagus in the tomb

Archaeological Museum

Tombs of King Kaleb and King Gebre Meskel

King Ezana's Inscription

King Ezana's inscription was found by three farmers plowing their fields in 1981. The tablet describes the military exploits of King Ezana in Sabean, Ge'ez, and Greek. It dates back to the 4th century.

Queen of Sheba's Palace

In Ethiopia the Queen of Sheba is not merely a mythical character but a historic figure. The emperors of Ethiopia trace their descent to Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and King Solomon. The Kebra Nagast, the ancient Ethiopian account of the origins of the Solomonic line, claims that on a visit to Jerusalem Makeda was seduced by King Solomon.  She bore a son, Menelik, when she returned to Ethiopia.  As an adult Menelik journeyed to Jerusalem to meet his father. Upon deciding to return back to his homeland, Menelik stole the Ark of the Covenant and brought it to Ethiopia, where it has remained. Our tour guide claimed that Menelik did not steal the Ark; rather, the Ark defected to its rightful owner.

Brick oven in the kitchen of the palace 

Gudit Stelae Field
The field is across the street from the palace. It is the supposed resting
place of the Queen of Sheba.

Queen of Sheba's Bath

St. Mary of Zion Churches

Dome and Bell Tower

Entrance to the New Church, which was built by Emperor Haile Selassie
in the 1960s

Interior of the New Church

Altar of the New Church

Water left in the church to be blessed

Beautifully illustrated Bible

The Bible is about 500 years old and is written in Ge'ez

In the foreground is a small chapel built to house the Ark of the Covenant.
The chapel is guarded by a specially chosen priest, and no one else can enter.
In the background is the old church, which was built by Fasiladas in the 17th century.